bothered

adjective

both·​ered ˈbä-t͟hərd 

: feeling or showing agitation, worry, annoyance, etc.

Never had Johnny seen Rab so bothered about anything as he was over his inability to get himself a good modern gun.

—Esther Forbes

… insisted that there was really nothing to get all hot and bothered [=angrily upset] about.

—Peter Berkowitz

Synonyms

• aggravated
• annoyed
• exasperated
• galled
• irked
• irritated
• narked [British]
• peeved
• put out
• scunnered [chiefly Scottish]
• teed off
• vexed

Examples of bothered in a Sentence

got all hot and bothered by his brother's constant unsolicited advice

Recent Examples on the Web

Young people, who make the majority of South Africa’s 60 million population, appeared less bothered to participate in that election. —Farai Mutsaka, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2024

President Trump would perhaps be less bothered about Israel allowing Jewish settlers back into Gaza, as part of the Israeli government would like to do. —New York Times, 3 Nov. 2024

The script got several studios and streamers hot and bothered. —Justin Kroll, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2024

None of that bothered Zuccarini, who recognized Funke’s talent for putting innovative spins on old-world Italian dishes. —Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of bother entry 1

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above